Alessandra Torre is a mixed bag for me. I've really loved a couple of her books, but some of her work is just too far outside my comfort zone in a self-consciously edgy way. Tripping on a Halo showcases Torre's skill as a humorist and is an example of why I still happily read her work.
Autumn opens the story in an endearingly cray-cray voice, describing her obsession with the personal safety of one Declan Moss, a complete stranger to her. We quickly learn that she has a married sister, a niece and nephew, a shrink, a pet pig, and waaay too much time on her hands. Hence, her well-intentioned stalking habit. Autumn narrates her story in first person, past tense and slowly reveals the events in her past that underlie her present behavior. Cray-cray she may be, but her craziness is unique and based--like most of her actions--on a fundamental kindness.
Autumn's narrative is interspersed with chapters written from Declan's point of view. Interestingly, Torre opts to tell Declan's story primarily in third person, giving the reader insight into his personality but with a bit more distance. He too is extremely likable, if a bit straight-laced, particularly in comparison to his amusingly feckless best friend, Nate. Declan is also well aware that he is being stalked by a mysterious blonde. Eventually, an unfortunate search of his recycling bin reveals that his stalker has traded her trash (address labels included) for his.
One of the things I particularly liked was the way Torre used small details to bring the action down to earth in the midst of some silly or outrageous events. I found it appealing when Autumn admired Declan's new suit, then admitted she'd watched him pick it out at Men's Wearhouse. Not only do you get an inkling of the scope of Autumn's stalking, you also learn that--yay!--Declan's not just another billionaire. He's a real person working hard to establish his fledging architectural firm. I liked banter between the sisters, especially the moment when Autumn's sister Ansley scoffs at the concept of abs, preferring the decidedly non-hardbody of her husband whose tummy she can use as a pillow. I even liked the occasional discussions of porcine flatulence. The event that initially causes Autumn's fixation is a huge weird thing, but all around it, real stuff keeps happening. I find that very cool.
Eventually stalker and stalkee meet, and Autumn is surprisingly honest with Declan in spite of her awareness that her role as self-appointed "guardian angel" seems at least a tad insane. Declan is more relieved that she isn't an obsessed bunny boiler than he is perturbed by her peculiar behavior. Both main characters have back stories that have inclined them to abstinence in the months before the story opens--in Declan's case a bad break-up that causes him a kind of bewildered sorrow and in Autumn's, the accidental death of her mother. In spite of past trauma, events proceed until the inevitable bedroom scene, which is both hot and hilarious. It is also quirky and very specific to these two characters--qualities I look for in a romance and deeply appreciate. I think this ability is one of Torre's superpowers. The reader can recognize how compulsive the attraction is without the characters continually arguing with their over-stimulated genitalia. In this particular book there's tons of unfulfilled sexual tension but only two explicit and steamy love scenes.
As in much of this author's work, there is a huge plot twist about two thirds of the way through the book. I freely admit that it shocked the hell out of me and triggered allll the feels. It required a complete shift of perspective and was actually pretty improbable. No, I'm not going to unleash the spoilers, but I will say that we do NOT take a left turn into Paranormal Lane.
The book's blurb calls this an enemies to lovers romance, and I think that's actually incorrect. Autumn and Declan are never really enemies. In fact, Tripping on a Halo is really light on standard tropes, a quality I appreciate. There were a few dangling loose ends that could have been resolved more tidily, e.g., why couldn't she inherit if she was mentally imbalanced? Nevertheless I couldn't put down this unique take on the rom-com, so I'm giving this one five stars.
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Reviews with images
Funny, laugh out loud rom-com with an unexpected twist
Funny, laugh out loud moments, along with a tear here and there; and OH SO GOOD. I love Rom-Com and this one comes with a twist I was not expecting. There is hot chemistry between Declan and Autumn that makes fireworks erupt. Alessandra Torre writes sassy and funny as good as she writes hot and sexy. Loved the role of every character in this story; including the flatulent Mr. Oinks.Autumn: “You’re going to think I’m Crazy.”Declan: “I hate to break it to you, but that boat sailed a long time ago.”…a maxi pad big enough to act as a Titanic life raft.
Top reviews from other countries
NicShef❤️Reading
Quirky, entertaining... fun
Reviewed in Australia on December 15, 2018